Advocacy Corner Reentry Resolutions: Reflect, Recharge, and Recommit Written by Barbara Ornelas, Reentry Advocacy Fellow The holiday season offers a powerful opportunity to reflect on the past year, recharge for the future, and set intentional goals. For individuals who have experienced the justice system, this time of year serves as a chance to reset and […]
Read MoreAdvocacy Corner Purpose After the Pain: Transforming Struggles into Strength Written by Barbara Ornelas, Reentry Advocacy Fellow Sharing one’s story of overcoming trials can be transformative—not only for the storyteller but also for those who listen. For many, including myself, telling these stories offers a sense of release and restoration, a way to turn pain […]
Read MoreAdvocacy Corner: My Reentry Roundtable Journey By Barbara Ornelas, Reentry Advocacy Fellow Over the past year, I have had the privilege of serving as the Austin Travis County Reentry Roundtable Fellow, and I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to extend my contract for another year. It has been an incredibly fulfilling […]
Read MoreWritten by Barbara Ornelas, Reentry Advocacy Fellow Addiction is a complex beast that can easily find its way into our lives, manifesting in various forms. While substances like drugs and alcohol often take center stage in discussions about addiction, there’s another type that operates in the shadows, hidden within the thrill-seeking experiences that some […]
Read MoreWritten by Amanda Cassidy-Trejo, Reentry Advocacy Fellow I can still recall the smell of the pod I was housed in the last time I used. I don’t remember the actual date I stopped using because time is irrelevant when incarcerated. So I chose the date that I had tattooed on me from the first time […]
Read MoreWritten by Amanda Cassidy, Reentry Advocacy Fellow For a lot of little girls their dad is the first man they fall in love with. The first man who shows them what love looks like. Sometimes life can make this experience trying for some fathers and daughters. The story of me and my dad isn’t abnormal […]
Read MoreHiring Initiative for Reentry Empowerment will take place Saturday August 20, 2022: 9am – 5pm at Impact Hub Austin – North Loop (5540 N Lamar Blvd, Austin, TX 78756) and Wednesday August 24, 2022: 9am – 5pm at Impact Hub Austin – Bouldin Creek (411 W Monroe St, Austin, TX 78704). HIRE is hosted by […]
Read MoreBy Amanda Cassidy, Reentry Advocacy Fellow When I was arrested the last time after spending months in deplorable conditions and coming to grips with the reality around me, I was utterly lost. I made a decision to change the course of my journey. I spent my free time thinking and dreaming about how exactly my […]
Read MoreWritten by Amanda Cassidy, Reentry Advocacy Fellow ”One thing a peer does is infuse hope” – ReEntry Peer Support Training One of the many goals I had when I returned home in July of 2019 was to find a way to use all that I had experienced, the good the bad and the ugly, to […]
Read MoreThe Austin/Travis County Reentry Roundtable (A/TCRRT) seeks Expressions of Interests for consulting services to help facilitate the implementation of the goals outlined in the strategic plan. Services are requested for one year. Please click here to view the full RFP: RRT Consultant RFP 2021. The identified strategic goals and objectives are designed to achieve the […]
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